I once again have nothing to talk about. Can this be right? I’m gathering my thoughts into a bouquet and the clippings are meager, flowers sparse. The earth is frozen outside my windows and despite the bright sun, single digit temps are a huge deterrent to venturing out.

None the less, I’m taking my daughter to have senior pics today down at Lauritzen Gardens, a garden in bloom in the middle of winter. It’s a place we considered getting married at but the space is a little much for our quaint little gathering. Our numbers are too large to have a ceremony here at the house but too small for a lot of spaces people gravitate to for a wedding reception.

The senior picture thing happening today sort of feels like another failed mom moment in the works. Probably most seniors had pictures last summer and fall when it was nice outside and prime picture taking weather. But not us… we missed that boat and so now it’s down to the deadline for pictures making it into the yearbook. So to the only garden in town we go. My poor daughter.

Don’t feel too bad for her though.. it will be fine. She’s not poor, she’s a spoiled princess. She’s got a bright future ahead of her and this little bit will be just fine. In the grand scheme it’s no biggie anyway. Not that it matters, but I never had senior pictures. I never had a graduation party or any fancy dress for any dances in high school. She’s had just about everything she’s wanted and in May we’ll be having a big party to celebrate her graduation. The pictures are just a small slice of all of it.

Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself to feel better about procrastinating it until just now.

In related news her grandmother (her dad’s mom) offered to schedule her with her photographer, which she has done with her other granddaughters before Z. That’s fine with me, but a little dicey with the logistics. Z wants to do it but she doesn’t want to go with her grandmother to the place, she wants to go with yours truly.

Her grandmother disowned me the day her son and I started telling people we were splitting up. She tried to talk me out of it and that’s the last conversation I ever had with the woman. She, of course, was on her son’s side and assumed that I was to blame for ruining our marriage and his life and my kids’ lives in the process. I was her daughter for 18 years and she never spoke to me after that. What am I supposed to do with that?

Fast forward 10 years and I still don’t know what to do with this situation where my Z would rather have that senior experience with her mom than her grandmother. I shrug and tell Z that she just needs to thank her grandmother and say she’s grateful, but be honest about how she feels. I have no voice in this. I have no authority either.

It will all work out. Of that I’m certain. I’ve been taking pictures and saving bits of artwork and assignments and artifacts from special events for 18 years. Her last semester of high school, with senior prom, graduation, parties, our trip to California, and making arrangements for summer and prepping for moving into dorm rooms will all be incredible experiences. Like I said, she’s a spoiled princess.

That’s the story I’m sticking to today to smooth this senior picture business over in my brain. /shrug .. Whatever.

I think that’s gonna be it for today. It’s the last day of a long weekend and come Monday, I’ve got to try and get back into school and work and help my Thing #2 refocus on his school too. Perhaps I can keep myself distracted with all of that enough to forget what’s happening in 13 short days 😱!!

Probably not. 😜

Say Cheese,

~Miss SugarCookie